Three takeaways from Outback Bowl

TAMPA, Fla. -- Aside from notching a 10th win for four consecutive seasons, LSU's 21-14 win over Iowa in Wednesday's Outback Bowl didn't mean a great deal. However, it gave us a glimpse into the future -- one that will become a bit clearer over the next few days.

Let's examine three takeaways from the Tigers' bowl win and what the coming week might hold for the LSU program.

Next few days are huge: This is shaping up as a roller coaster couple of days for LSU's 2014 roster. It starts today with the Under Armour All-America Game, where the Tigers could wind up as the day's biggest winner. ESPN will air the all-star game at 4 p.m. ET, and LSU targets Leonard Fournette, Speedy Noil and Gerald Willis will announce their college decisions.

The biggest prize is tailback Fournette, whom ESPN rates as the nation's No. 1 overall prospect. LSU commits Garrett Brumfield, Brandon Harris and Jacory Washington are also competing in the game. The Tigers could make a huge jump from their current No. 12 spot in the ESPN's class rankings with a big day today.

Landing some combination of the elite prospects in today's all-star game will help absorb the roster hit that is almost certainly coming. Nobody officially announced a decision after Wednesday's game, but it seems likely that the Tigers will lose a number of underclassmen to the NFL draft. Receivers Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham, tailback Jeremy Hill, offensive tackle La'El Collins and defensive linemen Anthony Johnson and Ego Ferguson are all names to watch -- and their decisions should come shortly.

Defense made strides: This was a maddeningly inconsistent season for an LSU program that prides itself on stifling defense. But Wednesday's finale provided glimpses of what this group can be. Iowa totaled just 233 yards, went 6-for-19 on third down (1-for-9 in the first half) and twice tossed interceptions inside the LSU 10-yard line.

There were only two seniors among LSU's bowl starters -- linebacker Lamin Barrow and safety Craig Loston -- and we'll see what Johnson and Ferguson decide to do, but this defense will return the bulk of its two-deep, regardless. For a group that will finish the season ranked in the nation's top 20 in total defense (they were 21st entering the bowl game and end it by surrendering an average of 340.7 ypg), that seems like a sign that 2014 will be a big year for the defense.

Jennings has work to do: After his remarkable performance in leading LSU to a comeback win against Arkansas when Zach Mettenberger went down with an injury, expectations were high for first-time starting quarterback Anthony Jennings on Wednesday. Jennings played like a freshman against Iowa, though.

On an unusually cold, nasty day in Tampa, offensive coordinator Cam Cameron initially took the game out of Jennings' hands, calling 12 straight running plays to open the game. The freshman was mostly shaky once he started putting the ball in the air, finishing 7-for-19 for 82 yards and an interception (he also ran for a touchdown).

That wasn't terribly surprising against an Iowa defense that is considerably more effective than Arkansas', but it served notice that this will be an enormous offseason for Jennings -- particularly with Harris, the No. 58 overall prospect on the ESPN 300 and No. 3 dual-threat quarterback, planning to enroll this month and participate in spring practice.